Sweet sensation

A wrap-up and favorites from the 2019 Isthmus Beer and Cheese Festival

January 22, 2019

1:17 PM

Robin Shepard

Alt Brew offered a limited amount of its newest beer, Velvet Midnight, a bourbon barrel aged imperial brown ale. This was an under the table limited beer that fest goers had to know to ask for, making limited release special finds fun to discover.

The Isthmus Beer and Cheese festival marked its 10th anniversary on January 19. The annual event at the Alliant Energy Center drew a sold-out crowd of 6,000. More than 130 breweries were represented along with 15 cheese makers — a marriage of two Wisconsin icons. There were many familiar brews alongside a surprising number of limited, rare festival-only beers. The event is not just a showcase; it’s become a launchpad for many beers coming into the competitive Madison craft beer scene.

Earth Rider Brewery of Superior made the festival for the first time. Frank Kaszuba, director of brewery operations, says he’s looking to start bringing his beer to the Madison market later this year. “It’s a progressive market,” says Kaszuba. “People like full-flavored beers and are really into craft.”

Robin Shepard

Brewmaster and Owner Christ Christon pours beer at Second Salem Brewing of Whitewater.

Second Salem Brewing Company of Whitewater brought several of its main brands which will be available in Madison by summer in 16-ounce cans. “Madison is relatable,” says brewery owner Christ Christon. “It’s a big city, but it still feels like a hometown.” Second Salem’s Bone Orchard IPA is a perennial favorite at the fest, with the assertive hoppiness of Centennial, Citra and Mosaic hops. It earned a “Best of the Fest” nod in 2015.

Among the trendy New England IPAs that stood out on Saturday was Chasing the Booty from Skeleton Crew Brew of Onalaska, full of tropical character with lots of orange and tangerine aroma and flavor.

Brut IPAs have been getting lots of attention from craft beer drinkers. My pick at the fest came from Badger State Brewing of Green Bay. Its take on this emerging style had a clear, golden, crisp bubbly body that made it seem light despite its 8 percent ABV.

Among the area’s newest beer makers was Cercis Brewing Company of rural Columbus, with its Belgian dubbel. This amber-colored ale was yeasty and sweet, with hints of dark fruitiness.

The Hubbleton Brewery Company of Waterloo offered its newest beer, a Belgian tripel that was bright, bubbly, deep golden and a sweet take on the style. Flix Brewhouse also made its first appearance at the fest. This brewpub/movie-theater from East Towne Mall opened last summer. Its crowd favorite was a white IPA called Gandalf The White, with lemon drop hops that lend crisp lemon flavor.

Tangent Kitchen and Taproom is set to open later this week at 803 East Washington Ave. This craft cocktail and beer bar will feature many one-offs and limited releases from Vintage Brewing Company brewmaster Scott Manning. Topping my picks from its list was a Scotch ale, My Name Is JoeNess, aged with dark-roasted Nicaraguan coffee beans. It’s a fantastic coffee beer, rich in malt and coffee. This proved to be one of my favorite pairings of the day, alongside Cedar Grove Cheese’s Donatello, a semi-hard sheep milk cheese.

Robin Shepard

Capital Brewing's brewmaster Ashley Kinart offers a limited release beer from a growler. Kinart is pouring Citrasonsin, an all citra hop Session IPA that is a new beer from Capital's small pilot brewing system. The beer should be on tap in the brewery's Bier Stube by late this week.

Capital Brewery’s Ashley Kinart pulled a few growlers from under the table. One was Citrasonsin, a session IPA loaded with Citra that give it crisp orange and grapefruit hoppiness. It’s very drinkable, crisp and sharp, at 4.5 percent ABV. It’s expected to turn up in Capital’s Bier Stube later this week.

Potosi Brewing served one of the best barrel-aged beers of the fest: Piper’s Delight. It’s a straightforward Scotch ale, aged in bourbon barrels, lending smooth sweetness to its bready malt backbone.

Robin Shepard

The festival’s Cask Lounge offered about 20 options of cask ales. Lakefront Brewery’s Rendezvous Biere de Garde was my favorite for its solid, earthy amber sweetness and mild candy-like finish.

Robin Shepard

Owner and Brewmaster Chad Yakobson of Crook Stave Brewing of Denver pours at Isthmus Beer and Cheese Festival.

Among my standouts of sours was Sour Rosé from the Crooked Stave Artisan Beer Project of Denver. This oak-aged sour is fermented with Washington State raspberries and blueberries. It was crisp and dry, tart but not sour, and as approachable as a sparkling wine. Crooked Stave’s owner made the trip to the fest. The brewery just started offering its beer to Madison a couple of months ago. “This is an exciting market for us. It’s well-established for beer and it’s fun to be part of that,” said Chad Yakobson who talked with drinkers as he poured beer.

Among the rarest beers being served was likely Ocelot from 3 Sheeps Brewing of Sheboygan. This dark malty and roasted imperial stout was from the brewery’s Barrel Society Series, a line of extremely limited releases that brewery offers with an annual Barrel Society membership. Unfortunately, the brewery only brought a single bottle of Ocelot.

Lakefront Brewery brought a few bottles of its Black Friday XXX, a blend of 2015, 2016, and 2017 vintages. It was rich in malty chocolate, caramel and toffee notes, and an exceptional discovery during the VIP session.

Robin Shepard

Earth Rider Brewing of Superior, Wisconsin attended the fest for the first time. The cognac barrel-aged imperial stout was my pick for best of the fest.

My overall favorite beer of the day was the Cognac barrel-aged imperial stout from Earth Rider Brewery. It was rich and complex, loaded with roasted chocolate malts and tied together with the smooth brandy-like sweetness of cognac.

But, for a mind-changing experience, I must cite this chocolate and beer combination between Wisconsin Brewing’s Cupid’s Envy, a robust barrel-aged stout, and chocolate made with walnuts, pecans and bacon from Barriques. The beer was rich in chocolate malt and bourbon sweetness, but once paired with the candy-like chocolate and its hint of bacon, well.... I’m not generally a fan of blending bacon and beer, but it turns out that if you add chocolate, I’m a convert.

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